BaoHaus

East Village – 14^th Street between 2^nd and 3^rd Ave

Taiwanese

Eddie and Evan Huang come to New York City fresh off the boat.  Their words, not mine.  Our boys bring with them a unique Taiwanese-Chinese meets hip-hop Gua Bao flavor.   No need to wait till 2013 for Fast and Furious 6 when you can experience it seven days a week in the East Village.  

 

These guys don’t just think outside the box, they tear it up.  Enter this hole-in-the-wall to rap music bumping, a street graffiti mural, and a shrine to Knicks’ point guard Jeremy Lin, extra MSG.  Seating is limited with two tabletops and a bar against the back wall.   

I walked in expecting to run into Vin Diesel and Paul Walker chowing down some Gua Boa with the likes of Tyrese, Ludacris, and The Rock along with ten other B-list celebrities.  Where the flip is Mia Terreto?  

The menu is simple yet creative.  BaoHaus is best known for their braised pork belly Chairman Bao and the all-natural fried chicken Birdhaus Bao.  Not the best bao in the City, but for $2.99 a pop, its worth taking a spin. The Oyster Po Bao made my stomach the epicenter of a magnitude 8.9 earthquake.  I only wish Tums had a Nos button.

At BaoHaus they don’t cook for pink slips.  If you want a 60 second Bao, you’re in the wrong place.  Service was not fast.  I got a little furious.  Maybe the Saturday late night pit stop had something to do with it, but you won't find me drifting back to these Bao Kings anytime soon.  

Review featured on Im In The Kitchen